Colorado Springs News, Sports & Business

Colorado Springs' Danielle Wahl swims English Channel

Danielle Wahl, a former swimming star at Cheyenne Mountain High School, swam the English Channel on Friday morning, said her mother, Andrea Wahl. Wahl swam the channel in 9 hours, 48 minutes, despite suffering a jellyfish sting early in the crossing and encountering strong head currents during...

Danielle Wahl, a former swimming star at Cheyenne Mountain High School, swam the English Channel on Friday morning, said her mother, Andrea Wahl.

+ captionDanielle Wohl has been practicing in Prospect Lake for her attempt to swim the English Channel. She made 1 1/2 hours of laps in the roped off swimming area of the lake on Thursday, June 27, 2013. (The Gazette/Jerilee Bennett)

Wahl swam the channel in 9 hours, 48 minutes, despite suffering a jellyfish sting early in the crossing and encountering strong head currents during the final two miles. The channel is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates England and France. The section Wahl crossed is 21 miles wide.

Wahl did most of her training in Colorado Springs, swimming mornings at Cheyenne Mountain High School and afternoons in Prospect Lake near downtown Colorado Springs.

During that training, she longed for her long session in the channel.

"There's something about being in the open sea that's soothing and nice," Wahl said last month.

Wahl, 20, who competes for Centre College in Kentucky, is scheduled to return Monday to Colorado Springs.

For the sake of reference, Wahl swam the approximate distance from the Falcon and Black Forest areas to downtown Springs.